sign in sign up
<<
Home , Coobowie, Edithburgh, Troubridge Island, Wardang Island, Yorke Peninsula

SELF DRIVE Top to Toe

Day 1 >  to stansbury From Adelaide, travel north along the Samphire Coast, which takes in the coastline from Port Gawler to Port Kadina Wakefield and around to Ardrossan. Moonta Ardrossan This coastline features some of the Stansbury state’s best areas to view shorebirds. Marion Bay ADELAIDE 4 day itinerary includes After Port Wakefield, branch off from discovering stunning Highway 1 as you round the top of beaches, friendly coastal to explore the east towns, spectacular coast of Yorke Peninsula. national parks and historic Travelling south you will pass by small mining villages. coastal towns such as Port Clinton and Price, down to Ardrossan, which is one of the major towns on the peninsula.

From top: Ethel Beach, Innes National Park; Boat fishing, Port Vincent. Page 2 of 4 SELF DRIVE Yorke peninsula Top to Toe

Situated on the top of imposing red Day 2 > st ansbury to A great spot for fishing with plenty of cliffs, Ardrossan is home to blue Marion bay beach hot spots to throw a line in. If swimmer crabs, which can be easily you want some deep sea fishing action, Continue your journey south through caught during the warmer months. there are a number of fishing charters more picturesque coastal towns including It’s also the home of the stump jump that operate in the area. Wool Bay which once served as a port for plough, which was invented in 1876 and the district’s farms. On the cliff top are Just a short distance from Marion Bay is was used to farm some of the world’s remains of the lime kilns that once were the famous Innes National Park, with its finest barley. It’s proudly on display at common on this part of the peninsula. rugged headlands, secluded sandy bays, the local museum. Get a bird’s eye view cliffs and woodlands of the area at the local mines lookout. Sticking to the scenic coastal road dotted with salt lakes. you will come across Port Giles and As you continue south, you’ll come across , before reaching , The impressive scenery is just one more coastal towns, which each boast one of the landmark towns of Yorke drawcard for visitors, with the park also excellent fishing and camping spots and Peninsula. Edithburgh features parklands offering plenty of activities, including lots of photo opportunities, including similar to Adelaide and by the same bushwalking, surfing, fishing, bird Pine Point, Black Point and Port Julia. Port designer, Colonel William Light. It also watching and camping. The historic Vincent’s safe harbour is popular with boasts popular coastal walks to Sultana Inneston village, the views around Cape yachties sailing over from Adelaide. Point and Coobowie and you can learn Spencer and the West Cape Lighthouses, A short drive on and you’ll discover about the historic of the as well as the limestone cliffs, are Stansbury, a popular spot for swimming, Clan Ranald and the Marion. fantastic for photographers. waterskiing, windsurfing, fishing and and its giant A rich maritime history also abounds fresh local oysters (seasonal). If you turbines provide a landmark of a with more than 20 shipwrecks resting haven’t already stopped off at one of different kind to the south of Edithburgh. offshore, the the picturesque towns beforehand, a Trail attracts scuba divers range of accommodation is available in From Edithburgh you can also take a boat from around the world. To explore the Stansbury – a caravan park, motels and out to Conservation rusted relics of The Ethel - the park’s most holiday houses. Park. Access is by permit only but allows famous shipwreck - and the boiler of the for a truly peaceful island experience. > Adelaide to Ardrossan: SS Ferret, head to Ethel Beach. Relax in the heritage-listed Lighthouse 150 kilometres, 1 hour 48 minutes keeper’s cottage, observe the park’s A range of accommodation is found > Ardrossan to Stansbury: birdlife, including little penguins, go for a in Marion Bay. You can camp or stay 57 kilometres, 43 minutes or try your luck at fishing from this in heritage-character lodges at Innes small sand island. National Park. Choose to continue your travels via the > Stansbury to Edithburgh: coastal road or head inland through 24 kilometres, 21 minutes Yorketown and Warooka before arriving > Edithburgh to Marion Bay: at Marion Bay. From left: Shack, Black Point; Cape Spencer Lighthouse, Innes 87 kilometres, 1 hour 5 minutes National Park, Cape Spencer; Marion Bay Jetty, Marion Bay. Page 3 of 4 SELF DRIVE Yorke peninsula Top to Toe

Day 3 > Marion bay An excellent guide book, which explains The Moonta Mines Museum is well to Moonta the sites and geological features, is worth a visit and the tourist train is available from the foreshore kiosk. a great way to tour around some of Having reached the toe of the Yorke the heritage areas. The sandy coves, Peninsula, it’s time to return to the top. From Port Victoria you can join one stunning beaches and jetties of Port Head north to Corny Point and visit the of a number of tours from multi, Hughes, Moonta Bay and Wallaroo are Lighthouse before continuing to Point award-winning Aboriginal Cultural well worth a visit and are perfect spots Turton, then on to Minlaton. Tours. Explore the Aboriginal township to watch the sun set. of Point Pearce with an experienced Located in the middle of the Yorke and knowledgeable Adjahdura guide A range of accommodation options Peninsula, Minlaton is known as the (traditional owner of the country). are available in Moonta, Moonta Bay, ‘Barley Capital of the World’, with lush Port Hughes and Wallaroo. farming lands surrounding the town. Discover the history of this settlement, Explore the memorial to Captain Harry which was once an Aboriginal mission, > Marion Bay to Minlaton: Butler, who flew across the Gulf from and how the Aboriginal people survived 83 kilometres, 58 minutes European settlement. Half day, full day Adelaide with the Royal Mail in 1919. See > Minlaton to Port Victoria: and extended tour options are available his Red Devil Bristol monoplane behind 34 kilometres, 28 minutes glass on the edge of town. showcasing the rich Aboriginal heritage and culture found on the Yorke Peninsula. > Port Victoria to Maitland: Head back to the coast with a visit 23 kilometres, 20 minutes to Port Victoria, which was once a Turn inland again towards Maitland, the windjammer port with grain loaded centre of the Yorke Peninsula and visit > Maitland to Moonta: onto sailing ships bound for Europe, via the region’s first commercial vineyard 36 kilometres, 26 minutes Cape Horn. The last ships that set sail and winery, Barley Stacks Wines. from here were in 1949. Continue your trip up the west coast of These days, Port Victoria is a paradise Yorke Peninsula to the . for fishers and for scuba divers, who Moonta has a rich mining history and can explore the eight wrecks off was once one of the richest copper nearby Maritime mines in . The cultural mix that Heritage Trail, which form a diving trail. flooded the area at this time has led to the – the world’s Re-live the maritime history at Port largest Cornish festival which is held in Victoria’s Maritime Museum. For odd numbered years in May. those wanting to stretch the legs, the 3-kilometre Geology Trail highlights volcanic action from nearly 2 million years ago.

From left: Dolphin Beach, Innes National Park; West Cape Beach, Innes National Park. Page 4 of 4 SELF DRIVE Yorke peninsula Top to Toe

Day 4 > Moonta to From the Yorke Peninsula it is very easy adelaide to explore surrounding regions such Itinerary Highlights: as the , Southern Flinders Explore the largest town on the Yorke • Ardrossan Ranges and beyond. Peninsula - Kadina. A town full of history, • Edithburgh it once boasted a population of 20,000 > Moonta to Kadina: during the peak of the region’s mining era, 17 kilometres, 17 minutes • Marion Bay but is now a large farming community. > Kadina to Adelaide: • Innes National Park You can see the full history of Kadina 167 kilometres, 2 hours 6 minutes at the Farm Shed Museum. The town’s • Minlaton Royal Exchange Hotel was simply • Port Victoria Maritime Museum the Exchange Hotel until the Duke of Clarence stayed there in 1880. Theories • Aboriginal Cultural Tours abound that the Duke was involved in • Moonta Mines Museum the Jack the Ripper case. • Farm Shed Museum From Kadina you can head back to Adelaide, or continue further north to the seaside town of Port Broughton at * Distances and times are approximate and do not include detours or stops. the very top of the Yorke Peninsula. Port Broughton is a delightful town with attractive beaches and is popular with visitors looking to fish and relax. Explore the walking trails around the town and the annual Rubber Duck Race is a fun time to visit.

For further information visit southaustralia.com

From left: Swimming, Port Vincent; Harveys Engine House, Wallaroo Mines, Kadina.